Mechanical combination digital lock

ABSTRACT

A mechanical combination digital lock having discrete positions for each combination selector. Such lock is adaptable to hangtype or door installed locks and has a replaceable selector assembly whenever it is desired to change the combination. Throw or dead bolt is provided on the door type lock for maximum security. This lock may be opened or closed in the dark. Detent action within the lock, and definition of the start location is provided so that it is possible to accurately position each selector by the sense of touch.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,821,885 1' July 2, 1974 Gerry MECHANICAL COMBINATION DIGITAL LOCK [76] Inventor: Martin E. Gerry, 13452 Wihthrope St., Santa Ana, Calif. 92705 [22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 [21] AppL No.: 319,369

[52] US. Cl. 70/298 [51] Int. Cl E05b 37/16 [58] Field of Search 70/298, 288, 25, 26

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 494,867 4/1893 Kaplan 70/288 7l8,l46 1/1903 Nielander.. 70/25 1,430,332 9/1922 Smith 70/298 X 3,410,121 11/1968 Morin 70/288 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 169,664 12/1951 Austria 70/298 Primary Examiner-George H. Krizmanich 5 7] ABSTRACT A mechanical combination digital lock havingdiscrete positions for each combination selector. Such lock is adaptable to hang-type or door installed locks and has a replaceable selector assembly whenever it is desired to change the combination. Throw or dead bolt is provided on the door type lock for maximum security.

This lock may be opened or closed in the dark. Detent action within the lock, and definition of the start location is provided so that it is possible to accurately position each selector by the sense of touch.

14 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJIIL 2 m4 SHEET t 0F 4 FIG. 4

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the field of mechanical locks, and in particular to mechanical locks that are opened by discrete settings of combination selection means.

A lock of closest approximation in this field is one that has rotatable wheels that constitute the selectors and is generally known by its tradename SESAME.

Such lock has the disadvantage of being easily tampered with due to accessibility to the selector wheels. Additionally, this type of lock is one based on continuous rotation of the selector wheels, and as such, it is not possible to open same in the dark since it is necessary to view the number in the selector wheels. This lock also has the further disadvantage, in that it cannot be utilized as a built-in door lock, but only as a hang lock.

Other locks, have binary selector mechanisms. Such locks would require an impractical number of selectors to obtain a reasonable number of combinations to guarantee security.

Otherwise, this field is devoid of any locks having few selectors, that are discrete in steps enabling digit selection, that can be opened in the dark, and that also that is rugged in construction and has high reliability with few component parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION opened mode of the lock to close the lock. Then, fiattened portions of the protrusions prevent the locking member from being slid to the open lock mode until the proper combination is selected.

Means for supporting the selectors in slideable mode, means for providing detent action at each discrete position of any selector, and means for urging the selectors against the locking member so that the protrusions would prevent movement of the locking member unless the proper combination is selected, to align the protrusions with the passway in each selector, are provided.

When the invention is used as a hang-type lock, the conventional shank is provided with the protrusions. When used as a door lock, a dead bolt or throw bolt with the protrusions as an integral part thereof is provided. As a lock using a dead bolt or throw bolt, means are provided which couple to the dead bolt to translate the dead bolt to locked position no matter what positions the selectors are in, or to translate the dead bolt into an unlocked position after the proper combination selection had been made.

This lock, and particularly the door lock, has the feature of being above to change the combination by replacing the selector assembly as a complete unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hang-type lock, in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective schematic, partially in cross section, showing the working principles of the mechanism internal to the casing of the lock of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a door-type lock having a dead throw-type bolt, in accordance with this invention. I

FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic showing the working principles of themechanism internal to casing of the lock of FIG. 3, which in principal is identical to that of the lock of FIG. 1.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS In accordance with this invention, reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2 representing the padlock embodiment at 10 which shows all the details incorporated in door lock of FIGS. 2 and 3 shown at 10'. I

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, padlock 10 includes I 14 also has protrusions 16 as integral portions of the shank. Protrusions 16 have a tapered portion 17 to enable the shank to be slid into apertures 43 no matter where the selector bars are positioned. Upon injection of the shank, the lower surfaces of some of the selector bars rest on flat portions 18 of protrusions 16, resulting in blockage of the selector bars, and removal of the shank, unless the proper combination is chosen, is im' possible.

Combination selector bars 20 are all identical in structure and are'individually denoted by letters A, B, C, D and E. Only bars A and B need be referred to in FIG. 2 to explain the invention. p

Selector bars 20 could be provided with flange 21 mechanically affixed at the one end to prevent complete removal of such bar from the lock. Each bar has cut outs 22 that permit protrusions 16 to be passed across the selector bars, without interference, where these bars are positioned in alignment with such protrusions. 7

Each bar is provided with depressions 24 denoted separately as 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to denote a 10 digit or decimal system with 10 different locations.

A mounting panel 26 for mounting the selector bars is mechanically held inside the casing, in order to enable removal of the entire selector bar assembly when it is desired to change. combinations. Guidebrackets 28, although only one is shown, are provided to hold the selector bars in position, sized to provide a certain amount of lateral movement for the bars to enable engagement of depressions 24 with detents 30 at each discrete position of any particular selector bar. Once engaged, flattened spring members attached to panel 26 at several positions thereof, although only one spring member is shown, urge the selector bars against the shank for better cooperation of flat portions 18 with the surfaces of the selector bars. Consequently when so engaged it will not be possible to lift the shank upward so as to remove one end thereof from the casing.

In FIG. 2 particular selector bar A is shown positioned at location 3, and consequently cut out 22 in selector A is positioned opposite the protrusion 16 on the shank, and with respect to this selector bar, the shank would be free to move. But selector B is shown positioned at location 0, with another protrusion 16 positioned just below the lower surface of selector bar B, and therefore with respect to bar B it will not be possible to move shank 14 upward so as to remove one end thereof from casing 12. In order to enable moving the shank upward, it will be necessary to reposition bar B so that detent 30 is engaged with depression 3 of bar B, positioning depression 22 in bar B opposite the particular protrusion 16 and thereby permitting that protrusion to pass through bar B.

It is to be appreciated that the other positioned selector bars C, D and E, not shown herein, may have depressions 22 therein at different locations, namely loca tion 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, and thereby provide any digit combination for any one selector bar. With five selector bars, it is possible to obtain 100,000 combinations. With six selector bars one million combinations are possible.

An obvious advantage of this lock, is that the combination to open may be selected completely in the dark. Each selector bar being detent held, with all selectors extending inwardly to their maximum position, the combination of all bars will be at 0. Each bar is then pulled out, counting to the proper preselected position.

When all selector bars have been properly positioned to their respective combination digits, the shank will be movable so that one end thereof is removed from the casing thereby opening the lock. At this time all selector bars may be pushed back into the casing, as the non-combination position, although preventing opening, will not prevent the shank from being reinserted to close the lock, in view of the tapered protrusions on the shank enabling the pushing back of the bars past the protrusions of the shank. The urging spring will then, due to force exerted on each bar cause cooperation of the bars with the protrusion, the flat portions of the protrusion preventing the shank from being moved upwardly out of the casing.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a lock suitable for mounting in a door is shown at 10. Lock 10 and 10. are operationally identical to each other and structurally similar.

Casing 12' is provided for retaining dead bolt 14 that constitutes the locking means.

Protrusions 16 are provided on each combination I selector bar. Protrusions 16' have tapered portions 17 and flat portions 18' integral with dead bolt 14. Flat portions 18' cooperate with surfaces of selector bars 20 to inhibit movement of the dead bolt from the locked to the unlocked position.

Each selector bar has cutout portions 22' that provide free passage of protrusions 16' through and past selector bars 20 when protrusions 16 are aligned with cut out portions 22 to enable opening of dead bolt 14' by counterclockwise rotation 44 of knob 40. Knob 40 being linked by shaft 38 to gear 36 that engages a rack or teeth 34 as part of one end of dead bolt 14' to withdraw dead bolt 14' from dead bolt retainer 42 which could be a door jamb or the like.

Particular combination selectors 20' are designated as selectors A, B, C, D, E and F, although for simplicity only selectors A and B are shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4, being a perspective schematic, is drawn to illustrate the principle involved, and hence only two selector bars need be shown to illustrate such principle, the same as in the case of FIGS. 1 and 2 configuration. Therefore, although ten depressions are present in each selector bar, a backplate to hold the selector'bars and to which would be affixed detents and urging springs as in FIGS.

1 and 2, such having been illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, these parts are understood to be present herein and need not be repeated.

The opening and closing operations are also the same as in the case of FIGS. 1 and 2, exceptthat where the shank in FIGS. 1 and 2 is pushed back into the casing, in FIGS. 3 and 4 the dead bolt is withdrawn, after proper combination selection, from retainer 42 by counterclockwise rotation of knob 40. Here too, selector bars A-F may be pushed back into the casing once dead bolt 14' has been withdrawn, as closing this lock by clockwise rotation of knob 40 will not be inhibited due to the tapering of protrusions 16 permitting the dead bolt to be slid past the surfaces of the selector bars during such closing mode without interference.

In order to facilitate installation in a door the combination selector bars must be free to move on the outside of the door but not extend outward to run the risk of deforming same. At the same time, dead bolt 14 would have to be recessed as shown with respect to face 46 of casing 12, that surface through which knob 40 extends. Therefore, dead bolt 14' could be interchanged so that itis behind selectors 20' instead of in front of such selectors, as shown in FIG. 4. Stating this differently, selector bars 20' could be moved in front of dead bolt 14' but rotated 180, and dead bolt 14' also rotated 180 from that shown in FIG. 4. Such reorientation would require gear 36 and related shaft 38 and knob 40 to be positioned at the upper surface of dead bolt 14 instead of the lower surface as now shown in FIG. 4. Also, if desired, gear teeth 34'could be installed on the front surface of dead bolt 14, oriented with respect to present location, so that'shaft 38 and knob 40 would extend through surface 45 of enclosure 12. Selectors 20, of course would be closer to the front face 46 of enclosure 12 but extend through surface 45.

In all instances, it is to be understood, that dead bolt 14 is supported by brackets or a portion thereof lies on a plate attached to a vertical mounting plate such as 26 shown in FIG. 2, and that the selector bars 20 have channels in which they can slide readily and move laterally as required to skirt over the tapered surfaces of the protrusions that are integral parts of dead bolt 14'.

In this configuration of the door lock, the mounting plate, like plate 26 of FIG. 2, having selectors slidably cooperating therewith, can be replaced as a unit whenever a new combination, requiring selectors having their cut-outs in different locations, is desired.

Alternately, with shaft 38 and knob 40 extending through surface 45, the entire lock 10' can be rotated 90 for installation in a door wherever this appears to be more convenient.

I claim:

1. A mechanical digital lock, comprising incombination:

a plural number of selectors, each of the selectors having more than two discrete positions, each of the selectors having a passway portion therein;

a locking member having protrusions integral therewith which are located at discrete positions of said locking member for cooperating with the selectors, each of the passway portions permitting translation of the protrusions when aligned therewith; and

means for providing detent action of the selectors at each of their said discrete positions.

2. The invention as stated in claim 1:

each of the protrusions comprising a tapered surface for permitting closure of said lock and a flattened surface for restricting translation of said locking member.

3. The invention as stated in claim 1, including:

means for retaining said selectors as a subassembly of said lock.

4. The invention as stated in claim 1:

said locking member being a shank and comprising a hang lock.

5. The invention as stated in claim 1:

said locking member being a dead bolt and comprising a door lock.

6. The invention as stated in claim 5, including:

means coupled to said dead bolt for providing translation thereof.

7. The invention as stated in claim 1, including:

means for supporting said selectors.

8. A mechanical digital lock, comprising in combinat1on:

a plural number of selectors, each of the selectors having more than two discrete positions, each of the selectors having a passway portion therein;

a locking member having protrusions integral therewith which are located at discrete positions of said locking member for cooperating with the selectors, each of the passway portions permitting translation of the protrusions when aligned therewith; and

means for urging said selectors against the locking member.

9. The invention as stated in claim 8:

each of the protrusions comprising a tapered surface for permitting closure of said lock and a flattened surface for restricting translation of said locking means for supporting said selectors. 

1. A mechanical digital lock, comprising in combination: a plural number of selectors, each of the selectors having more than two discrete positions, each of the selectors having a passway portion therein; a locking member having protrusions integral therewith which are located at discrete positions of said locking member for cooperating with the selectors, each of the passway portions permitting translation of the protrusions when aligned therewith; and means for providing detent action of the selectors at each of their said discrete positions.
 2. The invention as stated in claim 1: each of the protrusions comprising a tapered surface for permitting closure of said lock and a flattened surface for restricting translation of said locking member.
 3. The invention as stated in claim 1, including: means for retaining said selectors as a subassembly of said lock.
 4. The invention as stated in claim 1: said locking member being a shank and comprising a hang lock.
 5. The invention as stated in claim 1: said locking member being a dead bolt and comprising a door lock.
 6. The invention as stated in claim 5, including: means coupled to said dead bolt for providing translation thereof.
 7. The invention as stated in claim 1, including: means for supporting said selectors.
 8. A mechanical digital lock, comprising in combination: a plural number of selectors, each of the selectors having more than two discrete positions, each of the selectors having a passway portion therein; a locking member having protrusions integral therewith which are located at discrete positions of said locking member for cooperating with the selectors, each of the passway portions permitting translation of the protrusions when aligned therewith; and means for urging said selectors against the locking member.
 9. The invention as stated in claim 8: each of the protrusions comprising a tapered surface for permitting closure of said lock and a flattened surface for restricting translation of said locking member.
 10. The invention as stated in claim 8, including: means for retaining said selectors as a subassembly of said lock.
 11. The invention as stated in claim 8: said locking member being a shank and comprising a hang lock.
 12. The invention as stated in claim 8: said locking member being a dead bolt and comprising a door lock.
 13. The invention as stated in claim 12, including means coupled to said dead bolt for providing translation thereof.
 14. The invention as stated in claim 8, including: means for supporting said selectors. 